1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a label separator apparatus for separating labels from a label carrying paper on which the labels are adhered, and more particularly it relates to a label separator apparatus of the type that separates labels one by one from a long and narrow label carrying paper on which a plurality of labels are adhered, by acutely turning the carrying paper toward its back side (no label adhering side) by means of a label separating member while the carrying paper is moved in its longitudinal direction by means of a label carrying paper moving means.
2. Description of the Related Art
A thermal transfer printer provided with a label separator apparatus of the above described type is disclosed in Published and unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 61-266277. With this known thermal transfer printer, ink is transferred for printing from an ink ribbon onto labels adhered on a long and narrow label carrying paper by means of a thermal head in accordance with given printing signals while the label carrying paper is being moved in a longitudinal direction. The carrying paper is moved further forward and eventually turned acutely toward the back side (no label adhering side), and the labels that have been printed are separated from the carrying paper one by one at the acutely turned position.
Printed label sensing means using, for example, a light transmission type optical sensor or a light reflection type optical sensor is mounted at a printed label discharge opening of the printer, and the movement of the carrying paper is stopped when the printed label sensing means senses the rear end of the printed label while the printed label is separating. When the movement of the carrying paper is stopped, the printed label has been separated from the carrying paper except the rear end portion thereof, and the front most region in the separated part of the printed label projects out from the printed label discharge opening.
Therefore, since the printed label projected out from the printer is adhered only at its rear end portion on the carrying paper located on the label separating member, a user of the printer can perfectly separate the projected and printed label from the carrying paper by pinching the outer end of the separated portion of the printed label, which is projected out from the printed label discharge opening, and lightly pulling the outer end.
In the conventional label separator apparatus constructed as described above, the printed label projected out from the printed label discharge opening tends to perfectly separate from the carrying paper by losing its weight balance owing to the weight of the separated portion thereof, by being winded on the separated portion, or by being applied on the label separator with a vibration, because the printed label projected out from the printed label discharge opening is adhered only at its rear end portion on the carrying paper. And, such tendency is particularly large in the labels which are elongated in the moving direction of the carrying paper.
The printed label, which is completely separated from the carrying paper and falls on a floor, cannot be used.
The housing of the above described thermal transfer printer is constructed of upper and lower half housing members, and the upper housing member is pivotally attached at its one side end to the lower housing member. By pivoting upward the upper housing member around the one side end, a new label carrying paper, which is wound like a roll, can be supplied in a label-carrying-paper receiving hollow mounted in the lower housing member.
In the thermal transfer printer having such an upper and lower two split type housing, a relatively large power is needed to rotate upwardly the upper half housing member because various members are mounted in the upper half housing member similarly to the lower half housing member so that the weight of the upper half housing member is relatively heavy.
Therefore, for people of low strength it is hard to supply a new roll of label carrying paper in the label-carrying-paper receiving hollow of the lower housing member.
In order to make easier the supply work of the new roll of label carrying paper, housings have recently been constructed not to be of the upper and lower two split type, but to have a door on one side surface of the housing, the door being used for the supply work of the new roll of label carrying paper.